Savage fox
by RainbowPandicorn
Summary: What if it would all have happened differently for Judy and Nick in the Natural History Museum ? (yep that's crappy but I'd rather not reveal too much, it's a short story)
1. Chapter 1

**SAVAGE FOX**

Based on Zootopia. What would have happened if Nick had been darted for real ? And afterwards ?

The characters, the places, the universe, etc. and the elements from the film are the sole property of its creators. I do not own anything.

/!\SPOILERS/!\ so if you didn't watch the film but want to read this story... Don't. Unless you don't care being spoiled. Anyway, you're adults. Or almost.

 **Notes :**

A short three-chapter story about Judy and Nick. Haha, no joke !

Sorry for the (numerous) mistakes and clumsy/hideous turns of phrase, English is not my mother language. I'll do my best !

 _Rainbows, pandas and unicorns_ _x_ _3_

* * *

 **Chapter 1 : Darted**

* * *

Judy and Nick heard their pursuers getting closer, scrutinizing every corner of the museum. What could they possibly do ? They might manage to escape, but what if they did not ? And if they did, what then ? What could they possibly do against the new mayor ? They had no proofs...

In a rush, the fox put a rabbit statue to lure them and ran closer to the exit, stealthily going the length of the great wall, carrying his partner. He stopped at the corner of the walls and stared at her.

"Look. If anything goes wrong, don't worry for me."

"What ? But..."

"Do what you have to do."

But Judy was not convinced. She was worried. For him. Why would she not ? He was her friend and partner, they were trapped here together, with the mastermind of the predators attacks at their heels, of course she was worried ! She could not let him here alone if it went wrong.

"Carrots", he whispered with a genuinely worried look, his paws on her shoulders.

And, suddenly, without even knowing exactly what made him do it, he leaned closer to the rabbit and quickly left a peck on the corner of her tiny mouth. She barely had the time to react to anything, he took her off the ground again and ran.

Holding her in one arm and the case in the other, Nick rushed towards the exit of the museum, running as fast as he could. But the ram quickly caught them up, and quite easily. When he banged them with his horns, the fox dropped the case. They fell down, finding themselves in a deep large pit-like with false animals, grass and bushes, sand and stones, trees painted on the circular wall.

They heard the ewe's satisfied mocking laugh, she appeared to be quite smug.

"Well, you should have stayed In the carrot farm, huh ? It really is too bad, I... I did like you", she said with a deceitfully saddened voice.

"What are you going to do ?", Judy challenged her. "Kill me ?"

The mayor had a brief laughter, which really did not sound good. Really not.

"No, of course not !", she answered, before pointing the gun at the fox. "He is."

She shot at him right in the neck, making him fall on the ground.

"No !", the bunny shouted, rushing to him. "Oh, Nick !"

The fox shook and groaned, then started to pant heavily... Like Mr. Manchas had, right after being darted. So, that was it ? That was what he meant when he told her something could go wrong ? But... She could not let him here, alone and not being himself, she had to do something !

"Yes, police ! There's a savage fox in the Natural History Museum ! Officer Hopps is down ! Please, hurry !", the mayor wailed, faking worry perfectly.

Meanwhile, Judy was trying to find anything that could prevent Nick from going savage. She did not want to believe it... He was shot. He could not attack her, he could not become an enemy, not after everything they did, not after they solved the case. She could not lose him now.

"No... Nick, don't do this", she tried to persuade him. "Fight it !"

"Oh, but... He can't help it, can he ?", Bellwether provoked her cynically. "Since preds are just... Biologically predisposed to be savages !"

Well, she knew what words to use to get to Judy. Actually, she used her words, the ones she had ignorantly stated at the conference. The ones she had been thinking for real during a moment. The ones that gave prey a reason to fear predators. The ones that had fueled Bellwether's plan to make prey dominate and lock predators up.

Suddenly, Nick started to growl, showed threatening teeth and glanced at Judy. She let a whimper out and started to run away, limping because of her injured leg. She threw him a fake fawn he bit and scratched, ripping it into pieces, violently and mercilessly. Like a real savage animal...

"Gosh ! Think of the headline", the mayor carried on. "Hero cop killed by savage fox !"

"So, that's it !", Judy exclaimed. "Prey fears predator and you stay in power ?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"It won't work !"

"Fear always works !", the ewe retorted. "And I'll dart every predator in Zootopia to keep it that way."

The officer would never have expected for that. No one would have. Using fear to make prey discriminate predators and make their existence a living hell. This had been her plan all along.

The rabbit jumped when she saw her partner appearing out of the grass, snarling, staring at her with threatening eyes, showing his pointy teeth. This was not the pacific – though former hustler – fox she used to know. He was completely changed. He would really attack her... And she was cornered between him and the wall, with nothing to defend herself. The only fact of thinking she had come to need the fox repellent for real made her sick, she wished she would never have had to think that. Anyway, she did not have it. She was helpless.

"Oh, Nick... No", she moaned with a trembling voice, whereas Bellwether gave a sneering laugh.

"Bye bye, bunny !"

Ears lowered, staring at the fox with a fear she had never felt because of him before, she quickly thought about something she could do. Play for time. It was the only thing she could still possibly do until Bogo and his team would finally arrive. And she truly hoped they would come fast, because the only option for her was... Violence. She had to respond. _"_ _Do what you have to do"_ , she remembered he had told her. The circumstances forced her to.

Inwardly asking him for forgiveness, she gave a hard kick on his maw, making him step back with an angry roaring. She started to run again around the pit, trying to hide from him, avoiding him. She wished she would never have had to do this with him, it felt so unusual. It did not make sense !

"Run, rabbit, run*", the mayor laughed at her, putting the gun back in the case. "You won't avoid him much longer."

A few minutes after, which seemed like hours for her, Judy finally saw her colleagues surrounding the pit. While the polar bear and the tiger were getting the fox under control, the two rhinos helped Judy climb back up and the others kept an eye on Bellwether and her partners.

"All right", Bogo started. "What happened there ? Mayor Bellwether ?"

"I don't know, Sir", the ewe pretended to panic. "I saw this fox become savage in a sudden and attack miss Hopps, out of the blue !"

She was disgustingly good at pretending to be anxious. It was revolting.

"Chief Bogo, that's not what happened at all !", the bunny protested.

"Hopps, I did not ask you..."

"She shot him, Sir !"

"What are you saying ?", the buffalo sighed.

"The predators didn't just go savage like that, they were shot with a serum ! And she just shot him. She planned to dart all the predators to make them savage and get rid of them !"

While she was trying to argue, she could hear Nick's roaring stifled by the muzzle the officers had put him, she could see him struggling furiously against them, trying to bite and scratch. And looking at her with this gaze. A gaze she had never seen for him. A threatening, scaring gaze. That was not him...

"Get in a car, Hopps."

"But, Sir..."

"Enough ! Get out of here, I'll listen to your version of the facts when you're less under the shock."

She knew it was not about not wanting to listen to her, but it was about her. He knew she would be traumatized to be attacked by a friend, so she could try to justify it by any possible way, including accusing the others. But what he did not know was that she was very lucid about it, she was right.

"Fine. You don't believe me ? At least, look in there", she challenged, pointing the case.

Though annoyed, Bogo grabbed the case and took the gun out of it. He frowned.

"And where is your evidence, Hopps ? This gun is empty", Bogo said with his usual authoritative tone. "It's her word against yours."

In fact, the proof was not in the gun. No one saw what had happened. Bellwether seemed to enjoy that. She gave a taunting smile at Judy, who would have gladly punched her face at this moment. But she could not do that. Anyway, she did not have to.

"Well, actually...", the officer started with a quivering voice.

She showed the carrot pen and rewinded it until the key moment : _"_ _Fear always words !_ _And I'll dart every predator in Zootopia to keep it that way."_

"It's her word against hers, Sir."

"What ?", Bellwether exclaimed in surprise and fury.

Judy would have rather said these words with the same satisfied smile than when she had trapped Nick before. But she really was not in the mood to smile. Her friend, her partner, her sly fox was fastened and muzzled, neutralized by her stronger co-workers, struggling and snarling endlessly. She could barely handle the picture, she felt so sick and also guilty. She feared him and had to be violent with him.

The rabbit stared at the mayor with a challenging gaze and gave a faint and completely feigned smile, tears filling her eyes, voice trembling.

"It's called a hustle, sweetheart..."

* * *

 _*Nooope, this was absolutely not a reference to Pink Floyd's_ Breathe (DSOTM)...

 _So ? What did you think about it ? What will happen then ? What will Judy do ?_


	2. Chapter 2

**SAVAGE FOX**

Based on Zootopia. What would have happened if Nick had been darted for real ? And afterwards ?

The characters, the places, the universe, etc. and the elements from the film are the sole property of its creators. I do not own anything.

/!\SPOILERS/!\ so if you didn't watch the film but want to read this story... Don't. Unless you don't care being spoiled. Anyway, you're adults. Or almost.

 **Notes :**

A short **four** *-chapter story about Judy and Nick. Haha, no joke !

Sorry for the (numerous) mistakes and clumsy/hideous turns of phrase, English is not my mother language. I'll do my best !

 _Rainbows, pandas and unicorns_ _x_ _3_

* * *

 **Chapter 2 : Waiting**

* * *

A few seconds passed in silence. Well, if she forgot the police sirens and her colleagues struggling to get Nick under control. Then, she suddenly heard Bogo's loud and firm voice.

"Well. Seems to explain everything", he stated. "Mayor Dawn Bellwether, you're under arrest !"

The ewe barely had the time to react that the hippopotamus handcuffed her and led her to the police vehicles. She tried to protest, but was interrupted by the officer's firm tone.

"Mayor Bellwether, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you..."

Judy felt so bitter, because of all the trust she had put in Bellwether, whereas she turned out to be the mastermind of all the attacks. And she felt guilty, because after her monumental blunder about predators she had admitted and apologized for and the fox forgave her for, she ended up with striking him and running away for him. He would probably never forgive that.

Well, maybe he would not even go back to his normal condition. Until then, nothing had been found to cure the darted predators from the serum. Quite logical, as no one knew it was a serum. Labs would not find an antidote without knowing what the serum is made of, so how would they find one if they did not even know it was due to a serum ?

"The serum...", Judy mumbled, before jumping in a sudden as her eyes opened wide and her ears raised back up. "Of course, the serum !"

"What's going on again ?", Bogo asked her with a grunt.

"We must take a sample of it !", she rushed to answer. "If there's a component making the mammals go savage, there must be an antidote, it could save them all !"

"Hopps, it's not because I said you were a good cop – and I still mean it – that I'm convinced you can save everyone miraculously", the buffalo sighed.

"But Chief..."

"How do you plan to do that ? You showed me the gun, it's empty."

Judy lowered her eyes and ears again, knowing he was right. They had lost all the evidence. There was nothing left, not even one bullet. But... Maybe there was still a few drops !

"Sir, he's just been darted. Maybe there's still some serum we can salvage and get to the hospital."

Bogo's eyes opened wide at her words.

"You mean you want us to approach him now ?"

"Well... That's what it includes, yes."

"Being brave doesn't mean being reckless, Hopps ! It's hard enough to get him under control, how do you want us to come closer and scrape his fur ?", he asked cynically.

"You won't have to. I'll do it."

"Are you insane ?", he exclaimed. "It's too dangerous. I won't let you do that, look at him !"

Oh that, she had looked at him, and it was a terrible sight. She did not want him to be like that forever. She did not want all the darted predators to live this way. There was so few that could be done, but there was still something, and she could definitely not let go of such an opportunity.

"Fine", she said in a challenging tone. "Look, you said you didn't care about the fact I was top of my class at the Academy. But I'll tell you, if I managed to, it's because I was quick and agile. Being a _little bunny_ has helped me quite much. So, it your team doesn't feel like getting close to my friend, I will do it myself, and my way !"

The leader was always annoyed with her constant protesting and answering back, but he was also quite stupefied by it. Which made him speechless.

"Chief, we lost all the other evidence", she said with a calmer voice. "This bullet was the last one, if we don't use what's left, there's no hope to save him and the other darted mammals. Let me try. Please !", she begged him.

Besides his irritation, he could not help but admire her courage. Utterly reckless, but a true courage.

"You're ready to risk yourself with the fox for that ?"

"Of course I am !", she rushed to answer.

She was ready to take the risk. For all the mammals who could be cured if an antidote was found. For all the families and friends who would come together again. For all the preys who would not fear predators anymore. For all the predators who would be freed from those fake primitive instincts and thus avoid being discriminated. And for Nick.

"All right", the buffalo grunted. "But I can't guarantee your safety**."

The rabbit ran to her colleagues, which winded the fox up when he saw her coming closer. He had completely lost control upon himself, his hunger for prey was totally unleashed, if she was not cautious enough, he would make short work of her.

But, as she had just told Bogo, she was agile and quick. As her co-workers were holding Nick down, she got a tissue out of her pocket and, as fast as she could, she wiped his neck, salvaging a few drops of the serum. She stepped back as soon as she finished and left the others deal with him. She could not help staring at the fox, seeing what he had just become broke her heart, tears threatened to run down. That was not her partner. It was so unnatural, she could not handle this.

She wished she could have done something to avoid all this. To avoid being afraid of her own friend and coming to hit him and run away. To avoid seeing him muzzled and trussed up, struggling to escape and attack her, and every other prey in the surroundings.

She suddenly got a grip on herself and handed the serum over to Bogo. After all, above everything, there was a solution. An antidote would be found and cure all the savage mammals. She had absolutely no proof, no certainty it would work, but believing it would was the only option she had, or she would crack and burst into tears right in the middle of the museum, in front of everyone. She could not allow herself to. There was still hope that all the darted predators would be saved soon. There was still hope that Nick would be saved.

 ** **wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww****

Judy waited for days. Days that seemed to be an entire year for her. She knew that her friend was safe, neither in danger, neither dangerous as he was sedated. She knew all the shot mammals were, though not cured – yet, she forced herself to think. She knew the hospital's laboratory was actively working on an antidote, thanks to the sample of serum she had removed from the fox's neck.

But it was not enough. She came to visit him at the hospital every day, when she had some time. She came into the room stealthily, closed the door in silence, walked to Nick's bed, sat down in the chair next to it and looked at him, endlessly. He was constantly sleeping if not completely passive due to the sedatives, but she kept staring at him.

She told him how awful she felt. How sorry she was to have kicked him, to have been truly afraid of him. How lonely she felt without her partner, especially when she made Bellwether know she had caught her out. How worried she was about him maybe never being himself again. How empty these days seemed to be for her. How bad she felt for him. How alone she was without him.

But, above all, the worst was she had to say all that in silence, only in her mind, for lack of being able to talk to him or touch him. In fact, the doctor had recommended her not to, the consequences of it remaining unpredictable. It was horrible for her. She knew she should never have been afraid of him, she wanted not to be afraid of him. But, because of the serum, she knew she had to be vigilant and restrain herself from doing anything that would wake him up for good. He had to stay still. And she could not do anything, except staring at him. She wanted to tell him all those things, she wanted to take his paw in hers to reassure him, she wanted to hug him. But she could not. And it was becoming unbearable.

But she knew it would be worse for him. When he would be rehabilitated – as she hoped he would be – he would realize that he had tried to attack her, that he had become the savage fox everyone had always feared or even accused him to be, that he had to be muzzled, again, and tied up like some primitive animal. She did not know what she would tell him about it when he would come to his senses. She did not know what she would do.

 ** **wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww****

It was the fifth day Judy came to visit Nick at the hospital. Once again, she walked into the room and closed the door in silence, she sat next to the bed and looked at him, without saying a word, without moving. After a certain amount of minutes – she could not tell whether it was five or twenty – she heard the sound of the door opening. The doctor came in, also in silence. It was a female panther. She closed the door and walked towards the bed.

"Good afternoon, Officer Hopps."

"You... Know me ?"

"Who doesn't ?"

Judy had a nervous laughter. She did not know what to think about it. She was known for finding out Bellwether was the mastermind of the predators' attacks. But she was also known for her blunder about predators, which made the attacks increase.

"Anyway, I'm here as a civilian", she chuckled slightly, mainly to change the subject.

The doctor smiled at her and took a few minutes to examine the sleeping fox. Then, she took something out of her smock's pocket. A syringe ?

"Excuse me !", a worried Judy called. "What is in there ?"

"Well... Haven't you heard the news ?"

"What news ?", the bunny asked in surprise.

"The labs have found the antidote to the Night Howler serum."

The officer's eyes suddenly opened wide and a smile brightened her face. It had worked ! They had found an antidote ! The sick predators would be cured !

"Oh my, that's wonderful !", she jumped in relief and happiness.

"Right, so you hadn't heard the news", the panther laughed kindly. "The lab found it this morning. We've first tested it to the healthiest patient. It worked, so now we're injecting it to all of them."

"Amazing ! And, uh... When will they... Wake up ?"

"It may take one hour or two to have an effect, it depends on the mammal's type and condition. And the time it will take them to wake up depends on when they've last been sedated."

"Okay, that's great ! Thank you, Ma'am."

"You're welcome."

The doctor injected the antidote to the fox, cleaned his arm and then walked out of the room. Meanwhile, Judy had difficulty to stop herself jumping all around the room with joy, throwing herself into Nick's arms and hug him, yelling how glad she was that he and all the darted predators were cured.

But she just stayed sat quietly, waiting for him to wake up. Indeed, it took some time. She could not tell whether it was one or two hours, as the doctor had said. Anyway, it did not really matter, because she ended up falling asleep, her head falling on the edge of the bed.

* * *

 _* Yep actually I had to add one chapter, but don't worry it won't be longer :p_

 _** Nooope, this was absolutely not a reference to_ The Hobbit...

 _So ? What did you think about it ? What will happen when Nick wakes up ? What will they do ?_


	3. Chapter 3

**SAVAGE FOX**

Based on Zootopia. What would have happened if Nick had been darted for real ? And afterwards ?

The characters, the places, the universe, etc. and the elements from the film are the sole property of its creators. I do not own anything.

/!\SPOILERS/!\ so if you didn't watch the film but want to read this story... Don't. Unless you don't care being spoiled. Anyway, you're adults. Or almost.

 **Notes :**

A short four-chapter story about Judy and Nick. Haha, no joke !

Sorry for the (numerous) mistakes and clumsy/hideous turns of phrase, English is not my mother language. I'll do my best !

 _Rainbows, pandas and unicorns_ _x_ _3_

* * *

 **Chapter 3 : Healed**

* * *

Black. It was all black. His eyelids felt so heavy. So hard to open. And his body seemed so heavy, so limp, so numb. When he opened his eyes, it was all white. The walls, the lights, the bed... Everything was so white it dazzled him for a while before he got used to it. He gave a quick look around him. On his left, he saw a machine, it was a cardiograph, easy to guess thanks to the cable connected to the electrodes on his chest, beeping on a regular basis, according to his heartbeat. He saw a plaster on his arm, he had brief memories about what had happened though he had gone completely nuts, so he deduced he had been put on sedatives.

When he looked on his right... He saw her. Judy was here. Next to him. And she was asleep... Good grief ! How long had she been waiting in here ? She was crazy ! After what happened, she was right here. He supposed she had been waiting for him to wake up... But why ? And how was she, now ? After all that ? Plus, he could have attacked her ! Wait, why did he not feel this urge to attack anymore ? What had happened ? He seemed to be healed... How ?

He felt so awkward. He remembered everything he had done after being darted. Bellwether, that little... Jerk ! Because of her, he ended up doing everything he would never have done despite all those stereotypes he had heard so often about predators. He went savage, violent, blood-thirsty. A primitive animal. And Judy... He attacked her ! He liked her, he had solved the case with her, he had forgiven her mistakes... And then he tried to kill her. Oh no, he had been blaming her for that, and a few days after he lashed out at her, purely and solely. What a quirk of fate !

"Nick...?"

Hearing her voice made him shudder. He had difficulty to look at her. It felt so weird. He could not deny it, he was so ashamed, and shaken.

"Hey, Carrots", he smiled at her. "How's my sleepy bunny head ?"

"Fine... Oh, I'm sorry, I wanted to see when you wake up", she lamented. "Sorry."

"No problem."

"I... Uh... I don't really know... What to do...", she confessed.

"There's nothing special to do", he said with a subtle shrug.

"Are you kidding me ? I'm so glad to see you awake !"

She sat up straight and put her paw on his right arm, looking at him with relief and happiness. She would have rather flown into his arms and hugged him tightly, but she did not want to rush him.

"How do you feel ?"

"Well. Quite good. It seems", he shrugged.

"Nick... Don't you lie to me", Judy sighed.

"I'm not", he protested. "I'm fine. Physically, I'm fine."

That was it. Physically. And just physically... He remembered what Bogo had said at the beginning of the press conference. The victims were _"_ _in_ _good_ _health_ _physically, if not emotionally"_. Now, he understood these words. He felt fine, but his mind was a mess.

"So, what's wrong ?", the bunny asked in a soft tone.

"What's wrong...?"

He lowered his eyes and ears, sighed loudly, then took a deep breath.

"I don't know... Maybe the fact that I turned into an aggressive primitive animal ! Or the fact that I assaulted you, wanted to kill you, eat you, smell and taste your blood ! Or the fact that I had to be tied up, muzzled and stoned with sedatives !"

Her ears drooping a bit more at each sentence, Judy wanted to interrupt him, because she knew he was wrong, that was not him, it was not his fault. But she let him talk. He probably needed to. Quite much, actually. She felt it.

"Or, I don't know", he carried on. "Maybe the fact that I blamed you for thinking I'd attack you but I ended up doing it for real ! Or the fact that I was afraid you wouldn't trust me anymore and I did everything that gives you good reasons not to ! Or just the fact that the one you wanted as a partner has done all that clichés about predators describe ! Or just the fact that the one I wanted to...", he corrected himself just in time, "Work with... Would probably be traumatized by me and never want to get close to me anymore", he ended in a quivering whisper.

Many seconds passed in an utter silence. Nick still had his ears low and did not dare to look up at the bunny. He was afraid of her reaction. He did not want her to be afraid of him, not anymore. But he had to offload it all, he needed it. Finally, he heard Judy's sweet voice again.

"You dumb fox", she said gently. "Then why would I have come here every day, since the five days you've been in here, waiting for you to wake up healed, huh ?"

The canid stared at her in both amusement and surprise.

"You came... Every day ?", he whispered.

"Of course, you half-wit ! Why wouldn't I ? You're my partner. And my friend."

Nick could barely believe this. She really did came every single day since he was hospitalized. She really did visit him although he was utterly dopey. She really did sit next to him for a while everyday, waiting for him to be healed and wake up. It was so strange... And lovely !

"But... I... I could have...", he stuttered, not even finding the courage to finish.

"You were sedated, I risked nothing. Anyway, it's all behind us, now."

"They found an antidote, right ?", he concluded.

"Yep. This morning."

The fox had a genuine relieved smile, but Judy saw it quickly vanished.

"Don't look so glum, Nick. It's over, now."

"I know", he sighed. "But I... It all feels so... Wrong."

"Why ?", she asked softly.

He gave a brief shrug, then finally looked at her for good, shame and sadness in his green eyes.

"After everything that happened, you came here everyday, waiting for me to wake up. I'm not even sure I deserve that."

"Oh, don't you dare to say that, you..."

"I tried to kill you, Judy !", he exclaimed, while grasping her paw in his. "You saved me so many times and I... I nearly killed you. I feel so guilty for that ! And...", his voice began to quiver. "I'm... I'm so sorry... I did everything I had blamed you for thinking I'd do. You were the first prey to trust me for real and I ended up attacking you. I came back with you to solve the case and then I lashed out at you. And I..."

"You were darted", she cut him off firmly.

She tightened the grip on his paw and got a bit closer to him, as if to support her words.

"You dingbat !", she carried on, slightly punching his shoulder. "Do you really think I'd ever blame you ? This was not you, I know it ! I trust you, you'd never attack me deliberately. It's all about the serum, not you. It's not that nonsense I've been saying and thinking stupidly about preds reverting back to their primitive habits. You and the other darted mammals would've never gone mad just like that ! Now, we have the explanation, so stop thinking it's your fault and feeling guilty. That was not you", she insisted on the last words.

She stroked his paw tenderly and gave him a faint but sincere smile. She wanted to reassure him.

"But... What if I... Hurt you ?"

"You didn't", she answered. "Trust me, you did no harm to me. I managed to avoid you."

"I'm sorry you had to", he said in complete embarrassment.

"Will you stop that ?", she sighed. "I had to, it was not your fault."

There was a moment of complete silence, not including the regular beeps of the cardiogram and the distant voices in the hospital's corridors.

"Actually, I think... I'm the one who should be sorry", the bunny whispered.

"Are you serious ?", Nick frowned.

"I'm sorry I had to run away from you, and hit you... I really wish I didn't have to do that ! You said you did everything you'd never have wanted to, but it's the same for me. I trusted you, I promised myself I'd never let fear dominate me, nor see you as a savage predator. But in the end, I had to. And I'm so sorry for that. I didn't even want to believe I had to do it, it was so wrong, and..."

"I was darted", he cut her off in his turn, referring to her own words.

She stopped talking, both surprised and amused. He had barely woken up, he had already turned back into the sly teasing fox he was. She had a brief smile and her ears raised anew.

"You have nothing to apologize for. Well... Or maybe just to have scared me."

"What ?", she laughed nervously, disconcerted. "Me, scaring you ? Really ?"

"When I woke up, I saw you sleeping here, next to me. I was afraid... For a few seconds, I didn't really know I was cured, so, you see", he shrugged slightly. "And I remember everything that happened, from the moment when I was shot until they sedated me. I remember what I tried to do to you, and after they caught me, it was all blank. I don't know what happened, and... Seriously, Carrots, I was worried..."

He felt he was stupidly blushing and inwardly insulted himself for it. For so many years, he had never let anyone know how he felt. But it appeared that it was starting to occur anew. Because of her. Or maybe thanks to her. After all, it felt good to let his feelings show to someone he knew would never make fun of it or use it against him.

"Nick...?", the rabbit whispered after a few seconds of tense silence.

"For you. I was worried for you."

"But... I'm fine", she smiled at him.

"You're injured."

"Oh, come on ! It's just a scratch. Besides, the colleagues saw it and, trust me, I'd be in a hospital room too if it was really dangerous."

"I could've hurt you too", he insisted, his eyes and ears lowering again.

"I already told you, I'm fine. Really", she assured. "You didn't hurt me. And, as you told me to, I did what I had to do. I suppose..."

* * *

 _So ? What did you think about it ? What will happen in the last chapter (which was supposed not to be, but in the end has to be ^^) ? How do you see this short story's ending ?_


	4. Chapter 4

**SAVAGE FOX**

Based on Zootopia. What would have happened if Nick had been darted for real ? And afterwards ?

The characters, the places, the universe, etc. and the elements from the film are the sole property of its creators. I do not own anything.

/!\SPOILERS/!\ so if you didn't watch the film but want to read this story... Don't. Unless you don't care being spoiled. Anyway, you're adults. Or almost.

 **Notes :**

A short four-chapter story about Judy and Nick. Haha, no joke !

Sorry for the (numerous) mistakes and clumsy/hideous turns of phrase, English is not my mother language. I'll do my best !

 _Rainbows, pandas and unicorns_ _x_ _3_

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 **Chapter 4 : Confiding**

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"Speaking of it... What was that ?"

"What was what ?", he asked in surprise.

"The thing... You did, just after you... Told me not to worry for you if it went wrong...?"

It took him a few seconds to remember. It all happened so fast. But when he came to understand she was talking about the quick peck he gave her, he felt all his fur almost burning him in a sudden, like if someone had turned the button of the room's heating system up ot the extreme.

"Oh... Uh, I don't know", he stammered. "I... I guess I did it on an impulse", he shrugged.

"Really ?", she frowned.

"You don't believe me ?"

"No, it's not about that ! I'm just... A bit... Stunned."

"Because I did it, or because I wasn't thinking of what I was doing ?"

The bunny's ears drooped in a sudden and her purple eyes lowered, reflecting... Disappointment ?

"What's wrong ?", the confused fox asked her.

"N-nothing... Sorry. Shouldn't have told you about it."

"What ? Don't be sorry, I'm not blaming you. What's going on ?", he asked. "Carrots, tell me..."

She closed her eyes for a while, sighing deeply, afraid of looking completely ridiculous again.

"You... Did it... Without thinking ?", she asked with a trembling voice. "You... You didn't mean it ?"

After a few seconds of silent pondering, he realized he had offended her. Well, he was afraid he had hurt her, in the end he just did. He had not payed attention to the words he used. _"I wasn't really thinking of what I was doing"_. Quite close to _"I did this mechanically"_. And then to _"I didn't mean it"_. So, she thought he did not care about her that much. But he did, actually.

At that moment, he was afraid for them. For her. He was afraid they would not manage to escape and something would go wrong. So, he did the first thing he could think of to show her he cared about her and wanted her to be safe first, no matter what happened to him. He really liked her. After all, she was a very clever bunny, sometimes even cleverer than he was. She had proved it many times.

Firstly, she found how to trap him, at the beginning. She had recorded his spiel about the money he actually earned, which made it quite easy for her to pressure him into helping her find the car and search it. Secondly, she saved their lives many times. In Tujunga, when she fastened the suddenly savage jaguar just in time, and when she made them fall on vines. At Cliffside, when she started a howl to distract the wolves, and when she had the idea to escape by the toilet conduits. In the laboratory growing night howlers, when she showed herself to be quite a good conductor, and very strong by kicking a ram off the train. And thirdly, she proved to everyone she was capable of much more than anyone could have expected. Not only did she solve the Otterton case, she solved the whole missing mammals case.

Plus, they seemed to make quite a good team together. Clever, sly, strong, determined. Not letting each other behind. Standing up for each other. Understanding each other. And, finally, both willing to make this world a better place.

Of course Judy had made mistakes, but who was he to blame her for doing bad things and have it all wrong about specific animals ? And how could he not have forgiven her ? She had come back to apologize and she had recognized her faults, with droopy ears and so irresistibly gleaming purple eyes. After all that, he did not want his little bunny to believe he did not care about her. Because he really did care about her.

"Oh, Judy..."

Without letting her one second to wonder or even just react, he took both of her paws in his, pulling her closer, and gave her a peck on the exact same spot than the first time, but this one was a bit longer. Then, he drew back slightly and let his muzzle touch hers.

"Actually", he whispered with a sly grin. "I meant it."

The rabbit's ears lifted slightly and she blushed in one second, then had a brief and nervous laughter.

"But... We're..."

"We're what ? Prey and predator ? Bunny and fox ? Police officer and wandering crook ? Grey fur and red fur ? I don't mind our differences. Above all, I like you, so... Who cares ?"

Judy felt herself blush even more with such words. Wow, so he really meant it. He said he did not care about their differences because he... Liked her ? Did he truly use this expression ? Did that mean he wanted them to embark in... Something more ?

The rabbit was so stunned she could barely breath on a regular pace and found nothing to say. They barely went out from their misfortune during which their lives were utterly threatened, he had been darted and attacked her, she had to use violence to play for time, he had been muzzled – again – then sedated, and she had been waiting for a long time to finally learn he and all the shot predators had been cured.

And now, the fox was purely and solely confessing he liked her, apparently wanting them to be... More than friends ? She could not even be sure of it ! What was she thinking ?

"You... Like... Me...?", she hesitated, her nose slightly twitching.

"Yeah, my mind hasn't changed in ten seconds, Cottontail", he smiled.

Still looking at her with a caring gaze, he sat up straight and raised a paw to stroke her fluffy cheek in a gentle gesture. But he suddenly frowned when he felt three lines without any fur.

"What's that, Carrots ?"

"Huh ? What ?"

"That", he repeated, touching the bare skin insistently.

"Oh, uh... That dates back from my childhood."

"What happened ?"

She did not really want to talk about it. According to her, the most important was him being woken up and rehabilitated, so why talk about her and what happened to her so many years before ? Well, after all, it seemed he wanted them to be more than friends, so maybe it was better if she told him about her. He had told her about his childhood, too.

"Well, it was a... Uh...", she did not want to say it was a fox, at least not now. "Gideon, a guy that used to make fun of me because of my utopian visions... I saw him bullying three kids. I stood up to him and try to defend them, but... He struck me. I tried to fight back, but he was much stronger. And... he scratched me."

She saw a brief glint of sadness and even anger in the green eyes facing hers. Then, he sighed and stroked her cheek softly, as if any wrong move would hurt her. Well, it could.

"So... A bunny did that to you. I thought you rabbits were all so cute and inoffensive."

"Oh, not at all ! It was not a bunny."

"Really ? Because if there's one thing you've taught me, it's to never underestimate a bunny."

"And that's right. But... The kid who did that to me... He..."

As she appeared to be quite uncomfortable with the subject, he encouraged her silently with a faint smile and a supporting look, still caressing her scars cautiously.

"He was a fox."

Despite everything she had told him, despite her trust towards him he knew he could be sure of now, he felt a bit awkward. And he came to understand many things. So, that was why she had always been carrying fox repellent ? That was why she had reacted so fast when he asked her if she was afraid of him ? It was because of what happened in her youth, quite simply. Why had he never thought about it ?

"Nick... You know, what you told me about your childhood, it made me realize something important."

"What ?"

"Predators can be bullied by preys as much as they can bully them. You see, I don't want you to think I blame him because of his species. I blame him because he bullied me, and other kids. He was a jerk because he was a jerk, not because he was a fox. Okay ?"

"Yeah", he just whispered.

She smiled at him, then bent over and gave him a brief kiss on his muzzle, making herself blush.

"Well, uh... I said I blame him, but actually I don't anymore", she said. "When I came back to my parents' after I resigned, they told me they were now working with him, he's become one of the best pastry chefs so they took him as a partner. And... When I met him again, he apologized for everything he had done to me. I could have doubted, but he really seemed ill at ease and guilty. He was truly sorry. And... As I was far from being pure as the driven snow, especially after what I had done to you... I had one more reason to forgive him."

Nick was quite surprised but also moved and even amused by this story. That was one more proof that foxes could be kind with the others if the others were kind to them, and could become what they were believed to be destined to become because of the lack of self-confidence created by all the stereotypes.

Judy stepped into the breach and told him how Gideon had helped her for the case, without even knowing it. It was probably the most important thing. She told him how she had found out what had happened to the mammals that went savage thanks to him. The flowers, the fact that the poison also worked on traditional preys.

"Well, I'd never have thought of that", Nick laughed slightly.

"Yeah, me neither."

A few seconds passed in silence. While the fox was thinking of what she had just told him, Judy put her paw on his arm again and stroked it gently.

"Uh... Nick, I think I... Well, you know...", she stammered, her long ears lowering little by little.

He smiled at her, but not in the teasing or even just amused way he did sometimes. He did not want her to feel awkward for that.

"I know."

"How can you ?", she chuckled nervously. "You're a sly fox, not a thought-reader."

"Yeah, no matter. We just understand each other. And... Well, it's good."

"Oh that, it is", the bunny laughed with more conviction.

Willing to reassure her and make her no there was no shame to feel, he sat up again, nudged her muzzle with his and gave her a brief peck. He took her paws in his, then quite simply changed the subject. He wanted it all to be spontaneous, he did not want to let it do their heads in. And she understood that.

"Anyway, beyond all of that... It was quite good for a very first case, Officer Hopps."

He winked at her and she gave him a grateful smile. But, above all, she felt just relieved and happy. The case was solved, its mastermind behind bars, they were safe and sound, the darted animals were cured, there would have no more reason to fear predators. Though there should never have been one.

"I'd never have managed without you. You deserve as much credit as I do, trust me."

"Thanks, Carrots", he smiled widely at her.

"Well, anyway, I barely realize we did it... I didn't think I would..."

Nick gently poked her shoulder, then hugged her while stroking her head.

"You really are a clever bunny, sweetheart."

They snuggled up on the narrow white bed and closed eyes, letting time flow by, enjoying it. It felt so fine for both of them. They were reunited – again – and, from then on, they would stay together. Probably in every sense of the word.

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 _So ? What did you think about this story ? I'm all ears ! Well, all eyes would be more appropriated. Anyway ! Reviews, please ? :D_


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